Draw-bar for street-cars



(No Model.)

W. P. HUDSON.

DRAW BAR FOR STREET CARS. No. 304,326. Patented Sept. 2, 1884.

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UNITED STATES WVILLIAM P. HUDSON,

PATENT OFFICE,

OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

DRAW-BAR FOR STREET-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 304,326, dated September 2, 1884.

. Application filed June 9, 1884. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM P. HUDSON, of Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street-OarDrawBars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new and simple method of attaching whiffletrees to the drawbars of streetcars 5 and it consists in the peculiar construction of the draw-bar with a latching device, as hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my new draw-bar, showing whiffletree attached. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the same.

A is a draw-bar, which is secured to the platform of a car in the usual manner. B is a pin standing near the forward end of said bar, over which loops or eye-bars O O, attached to the whiffletree, are placed. In rear of the pin B is placed a latching device, consisting of a slotted post, D, in which is pivoted a curved lever, E, whose rear end is heavier than the forward end, thus holding the forward end against the pin B. The forward end of said latch-lever E is curvedor bent downward, and has a proj ection,e, against which the lower loop 0 strikes, and is ,pre vented from jumping off from the pin. A chain or cord, F, is attached to the rear end of the lever E, reaching up, and is fastened to the dash, for the purpose of operating the lever for unlatching, when the loops are to be removed from the pin.

The operation of this device is as follows: To attach the whiffietree it is only necessary to place the loops over the pin 13, which drops down, and push the point of the latch back into the slotted post. when the lower loop passes below the point, the latch-lever drops into place again. Then the loop is secure from removal until the latch is again lifted. To remove the whiffletree the operator lifts the rear end of the latch either by the chain or by hand. Then the loops are easily lifted off. The upper loop is a little longer than the lower one, and stands up at an angle. It thus serves as a support to the whiffletree, and prevents its dropping down when the draft from the harness-traces is slackened. When the draft of the traces is on, the upper loop is carried back a little by the lifting of the whiffletree by the pull of the horses, so that the strain is all on the lower loop and at the base of the pin B.

The operation of attaching or detaching whi ffletrees by my improved device is very simple and easily performed, saving much delay and the inconvenience of the old loose pin-coupling.

Having described my invention, I claim cars, consisting of draw bar A, having pin B, and post D, provided with curved and weight ed latch-lever E, as and for the purpose specifled.

2. The combination, with the draw-bar A, having pin 13, and post D,with its latch-lever E, of a whiffletree having the loops or eye-bars G O, substantially as shown and described.

M. P. HUDSON.

, \Vitnesses:

GEO. XV. TIBBITTS, F. W. OADWELL.

1. The herein-descri bed draw-bar for street 

